what brought you back to the rc hobby.

[Finnsllc 917]

OK. So, its not that we or you or anybody "left". Its that alot of us were fortunate enough to be gifted kits 30 years ago or more. Look at the costs we have of raising children. This isnt the 80s! We had a pop culture thing back then. I mean Punky Brewster opened up Tamiya in the US like 35 years ago. i cant speak for outside the USA but i can say as kids we had a moment when Tamiya rc cars were a fad. Now, forgetting the argument of life skills and focus and having a feeling of accomplishment, Same a static model, we were kids. Mom and Dad hooked us up and gave us a fun "TOY". Now 20,30 or even 40 years later we remember that we had a fun, cool, intuitive and proud thing that we all did. The argument is not what brought us back. Its a question of like minded kids that enjoyed this crazy thing and then later could provide themselves the experience we all remember. Going  back to being a teenager, like most i forgot about Tamiya. But i was focused on work, girls, drinking, girls, cars, girls, the side girl, girls, beer, girls oh and then the one who destroys you and you marry. Meanwhile, jobs and money and kids and responsibility control our lives. Then, way later we say, wow remember that Tamiya thing????? We hit ebay or see an rc car in a hobby shop. Thats what brings us back. It wasnt a subconscious thing, it was that we prioritized and had to focus on other things.   We grew up. Now look at us, we are 40 and 50 years old playing with toys. Not a negative. But toys are not cheap. Can a 12 year old little boy or girl afford an Avante? Plus the electronics? NO ofcourse not. We relied on our parents to provide this to us. Now times have changed. Ipads and phones and computers and airpods and all that. We came back around to this. To what we really enjoyed when we were young. Amazingly it was still there. Thats what I think is the value. How many things are still there from our childhood? We stumbled acrross or were internet catfished or saw an article or walked past a LHS. Whatever We didnt leave. WE grew up. We lived. We had babies. We bought houses. Nobody left. We just circled back around.

[Finnsllc 917]

@Juggular Thanks"?

[Super ally 412]

40 minutes ago, Finnsllc said:

OK. So, its not that we or you or anybody "left". Its that alot of us were fortunate enough to be gifted kits 30 years ago or more. Look at the costs we have of raising children. This isnt the 80s! We had a pop culture thing back then. I mean Punky Brewster opened up Tamiya in the US like 35 years ago. i cant speak for outside the USA but i can say as kids we had a moment when Tamiya rc cars were a fad. Now, forgetting the argument of life skills and focus and having a feeling of accomplishment, Same a static model, we were kids. Mom and Dad hooked us up and gave us a fun "TOY". Now 20,30 or even 40 years later we remember that we had a fun, cool, intuitive and proud thing that we all did. The argument is not what brought us back. Its a question of like minded kids that enjoyed this crazy thing and then later could provide themselves the experience we all remember. Going  back to being a teenager, like most i forgot about Tamiya. But i was focused on work, girls, drinking, girls, cars, girls, the side girl, girls, beer, girls oh and then the one who destroys you and you marry. Meanwhile, jobs and money and kids and responsibility control our lives. Then, way later we say, wow remember that Tamiya thing????? We hit ebay or see an rc car in a hobby shop. Thats what brings us back. It wasnt a subconscious thing, it was that we prioritized and had to focus on other things.   We grew up. Now look at us, we are 40 and 50 years old playing with toys. Not a negative. But toys are not cheap. Can a 12 year old little boy or girl afford an Avante? Plus the electronics? NO ofcourse not. We relied on our parents to provide this to us. Now times have changed. Ipads and phones and computers and airpods and all that. We came back around to this. To what we really enjoyed when we were young. Amazingly it was still there. Thats what I think is the value. How many things are still there from our childhood? We stumbled acrross or were internet catfished or saw an article or walked past a LHS. Whatever We didnt leave. WE grew up. We lived. We had babies. We bought houses. Nobody left. We just circled back around.

Great post and very true.

[Carmine A 2046]

Yup @Super ally that covers about 99% of us! Eloquently said.

I'll add a 36 year old plug.... A young Matthew Broderick, "War Games", running a Tamiya Brat with a Camera, in the Night to get a door code!! LOVED that Movie!  They led us to believe that a Camera could be made small enough to fit inside a RC Car!! Imagine that! 😜😂 

NO teenager could go out and buy an Avante... I feel so gifted to have been 24 when it came out in 88!! 😁  GAWD I miss it. 😭  It took me longer to "grow up". I was in a Band, angering everyone around me, because I made way more gigging than I ever could in a "real Job"!!! 😊😜😂

You are absolutely correct Sir!! We NEVER really left RC.... Just put it on the Shelf or in Boxes for a while.

[berman 5315]

First time I came back was in 1999, I was doing an Automotive Engineering course and decided to spend some of my tool allowance at a local hobby shop. I bought a Tamiya TL-01 Mitsubishi Evolution 4 and painted it yellow with the rally decals as that's the one I had on the original Gran Turismo. 

I raced it at the local on road track with the hobby shop owners son, with very little luck.

The second time I came back was in the late 2000s. My older brother bought me a $50 gift voucher for Jaycar Electronics. I went in there and saw a HSP Brontosaurus. Paid the difference and messed around with that for a short while, and then went to an online auction site as I reminisced about the Clod Buster I had as a kid.

Well, I found a very abused Clod for $200 and that's where it all went downhill 😄 haven't left the hobby and TamiyaClub members have had to put up with me since then.😄

 

[c64orinoco 667]

I had a Super Champ and a Hornet back in the 80's. I didn't do much after high school and through the 90's while I was at uni. I sold the Super Champ (wish I hadn't!) and in the late 90's lost the Hornet (and 12 RC planes, and all my tools, and a working model steam engine my grandfather made) in a burglary.

Fast forward to late 2019 and I catch up with a mate at a school reunion, he mentions he still has his Dirt Thrasher, and would I like to go out to the local track (St.Ives) and have a drive with his kids? Sure... and I got bit by the RC bug again! At the same time, another mate found an old Sand Rover in his garage that he had bought from my brother and was thought lost; turns out it was just buried. I restored the Sand Rover to running - barely, one of the gears has two missing teeth, and those things are irreplaceable. I heavily hinted to my wife an RC car would be an excellent Xmas present, and she got me a TT-02B Neo Scorcher.

6 months later ... my wife now has a Comical Frog that she built herself (it's PINK!) and I have a Comical Hornet. And a Hornet. And a Frog (I always wanted one of those). And an M07 with a Mini body. And an M07R with a Mito body (I have a real Mito). And a King Yellow 6x6 (birthday present). And whats this cute little thing - a SW01 mini-Lunch Box.

I think I'm "back into it".

[Bromley 681]

17 hours ago, Super ally said:

I flew model planes myself back in 80s and loved it.Expensive hobby.

Yeah it's not the cheapest hobby. But when you look at the price of scale trucks and trailers, it's kinda ok.

[Room335 738]

Great stories here. Funny how so many of us had similar paths in this hobby. The cars and dates may be different, but the vibes are the same. Like @Finnsllc said, there’s something about this hobby that stays with you, even when life takes you elsewhere. 
 

For me, it started with a used Boomerang bought from a neighbor ca. 1987. Pretty sure it had a Technigold. Then an Inferno 7.5 around 2003...mostly for the joy of building a kit...but I never really caught the nitro bug. Fast forward to Xmas 2019, 3 kids later, when I got a pair of Lunchboxes for my 2 boys. I ended up building most of the kits for them, and I was hooked once again.
 

A YouTube search uncovered the Tamiya Legends channel, and his video ranking the best Tamiya 4WD buggies (highly recommended if you’ve never seen it). Of course I had to buy a Top Force after watching it. Shortly after that I discovered TamiyaClub, and the DN01 love here compelled me to get one of those too! Followed by a pair of TT02’s for my boys...yada yada yada you know the story. Anyways, happy to be here amongst some of the most friendly, helpful, and enthusiastic forums I’ve found.

[Super ally 412]

29 minutes ago, Room335 said:

Great stories here. Funny how so many of us had similar paths in this hobby. The cars and dates may be different, but the vibes are the same. Like @Finnsllc said, there’s something about this hobby that stays with you, even when life takes you elsewhere. 
 

For me, it started with a used Boomerang bought from a neighbor ca. 1987. Pretty sure it had a Technigold. Then an Inferno 7.5 around 2003...mostly for the joy of building a kit...but I never really caught the nitro bug. Fast forward to Xmas 2019, 3 kids later, when I got a pair of Lunchboxes for my 2 boys. I ended up building most of the kits for them, and I was hooked once again.
 

A YouTube search uncovered the Tamiya Legends channel, and his video ranking the best Tamiya 4WD buggies (highly recommended if you’ve never seen it). Of course I had to buy a Top Force after watching it. Shortly after that I discovered TamiyaClub, and the DN01 love here compelled me to get one of those too! Followed by a pair of TT02’s for my boys...yada yada yada you know the story. Anyways, happy to be here amongst some of the most friendly, helpful, and enthusiastic forums I’ve found.

Yes this is a great forum with a lot of experienced members,i have learnt a lot since joining.

[Juggular 4964]

18 hours ago, Finnsllc said:

@Juggular Thanks"?

lol...  yeah, when somebody's writing should get more than "like," I click on "thanks" because it's a symbol of chalice. 

Basically, I'm saying, "I'll raise a glass to that," or "you take the cup."     

 

[TwistedxSlayer 1290]

Had a a TB01 since 2000. Never sold it or got rid of it. Ran it for a couple of years. Stashed it. Moved on to 1:1 cars.

Got some spare cash. Decided I REALLY wanted a T-Maxx back in 2013. Bought one. Got the TB01 back out. Decided I needed a TT02B metallic pink buggy. Then another TB01 then another. Then sold one. Then bought one. Then sold it. Then bought a Hyper TT. Then sold it. Then decided I didn't like spare cash so it just kinda went from there. Lol

[Dakratfink 967]

A couple of years after I my dad passed I found boxes of my and Dad’s old RC stuff from late 80s/ early 90s in my Mom’s garage and brought it home . I found my my old Yokomo YZ10 and an early 90s Traxxas stampede basket case roller. 
the Stampede intrigued me because dad and I got out of the hobby in the early 90s when I went to university so I could not figure out where I came across a truck AFTER our time in the hobby. 
This got me to set foot in my local hobby shop to see what it would take to get modern electronics to restore one or the other of them. 
I ended up buying a brushed 2wd Slash.

Eventually, this turned in to me buying selling and trading. I started funding my revived hobby by repairing and selling junk mowers and bicycles. 
I finally got around to doing a “resto Mod” of the vintage Pede and got the YZ10 running with mostly vintage electronics ( and Nihm batteries ) 

 

[xzenonuk 79]

i never really left it, ever since i was a kid i have been exposed to boats gliders cars and helis on and off 

the lock down has reignited my spark big time, started with us getting grass hoppers and now we both have hyper vse's and dad has a pumpkin and i have a lunchie.

so much awesome fun, cant use my ishima rave or hyper 7 though too noisy and im sure they will work if i try them 

just bought one of they hobbywing 1060 esc's gonna either put it in my thundertiger drifter or most likely my lunch box on stock motor with a 2s lipo in the garden 

 

i remember getting a kool cheapo yaught and taking the radio gear out of my kyosho tracker to get it running, also remember some idiots passing by talking to each other and saying if you just push him in and grab the boat......

 

wow yeh they thankfully never had the balls, or another time had some idiot with a golf club launching golf balls at our boats... 

 

guess saftey in numbers rings true.

 

first rc car i ever touched was a tamiya wild one in peices in the cupboard 

plasticine and fishing wieghts are awesome to balance ww2 canadian corvettes, just dont hold them up side down and 3 6 cell nimhs on a tiny motor it can sail all day 

 

i was messing about trying to fly helis inverted quite a few years ago, mcpx said nope 

 

 

 

 

[berman 5315]

12 hours ago, Super ally said:

Yes this is a great forum with a lot of experienced members,i have learnt a lot since joining.

Even experienced members still learn 🙂 it's one of the joys of the hobby.

[J@mes 2326]

Rere Blackfoot bought me back

[Carmine A 2046]

3 hours ago, berman said:

Even experienced members still learn 🙂 it's one of the joys of the hobby.

ABSOLUTELY!! 😉  37 years in the Hobby, and I've got a lot more to learn! 

Especially since there's experienced Members here, with completely DIFFERENT experiences. And even if some of my methods are a bit unorthodox, I hope that I can add a little to someone's skillset as well.

Part of the Hobby IS about sharing ideas, and inspiring others, whilst learning ourselves! 👍

[Super ally 412]

3 hours ago, J@mes said:

Rere Blackfoot bought me back

I built a blackfoot back in 80s,great looking truck.

[Finnsllc 917]

@Juggular

[Super ally 412]

7 hours ago, Carmine A said:

ABSOLUTELY!! 😉  37 years in the Hobby, and I've got a lot more to learn! 

Especially since there's experienced Members here, with completely DIFFERENT experiences. And even if some of my methods are a bit unorthodox, I hope that I can add a little to someone's skillset as well.

Part of the Hobby IS about sharing ideas, and inspiring others, whilst learning ourselves! 👍

I only wish i could meet members like yourself face to face and talk instead of on a forum.

[Carmine A 2046]

5 minutes ago, Super ally said:

I only wish i could meet members like yourself face to face and talk instead of on a forum.

ME TOO!! Seems for me to meet most of you... would require a 6000 mile Plane trip - 8000 for my Aussie Friends! 😲 

Although some time next year, a windfall is coming... BIG ONE. One of My plans is to travel the U.S. for about 2 Months, meeting as many of my online Friends as possible!! 😊

[Super ally 412]

13 minutes ago, Carmine A said:

ME TOO!! Seems for me to meet most of you... would require a 6000 mile Plane trip - 8000 for my Aussie Friends! 😲 

Although some time next year, a windfall is coming... BIG ONE. One of My plans is to travel the U.S. for about 2 Months, meeting as many of my online Friends as possible!! 😊

Good luck with that.🤞

[Carmine A 2046]

1 hour ago, Super ally said:

Good luck with that.🤞

.... I just wish I could meet everyone, Internationally. "Jet Setting" is a LOT more expensive than it used to be!! 😖😞  And it was expensive then. 

Hopefully there's more than SIX of us Yanks to visit! 😜

[Super ally 412]

35 minutes ago, Carmine A said:

.... I just wish I could meet everyone, Internationally. "Jet Setting" is a LOT more expensive than it used to be!! 😖😞  And it was expensive then. 

Hopefully there's more than SIX of us Yanks to visit! 😜

More yanks than us brits i bet.😃

[Carmine A 2046]

2 hours ago, Super ally said:

More yanks than us brits i bet.😃

I'm not sure... There's a lot of Brits on this Forum alone! 😁

[xray mark 213]

What brought me back was Finding out that Tamiya started the same year I was born. 1976. I realised it was destiny for me to do this hobby.